Conveyer



Nov. 6, 1934. REDLER 1,980,088

CONVEYER Filed Nov. 12, 1931 lmmmwmmml II II 22 INVENTOR azewz ATI'ORNEYPatented Nov. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CONVEYER,

Application November 12, 1931, Serial No. 574,525 In Great Britain March18, 1931 3 Claims.

This invention relates to conveyors and particularly to the flexibleconveyer members and their manner of attachment to the conveyer flights.

The invention has for its object generally, an improved constructionand. arrangement of parts, which is efiicient, economical and readilymanufactured.

More specifically, it is an object to provide a construction for aflexible conveyer member which is adapted to be readily attached to anddetached from the conveyer flights.

It is also an object to provide an arrangement which is adapted forquick repairs and involves a rugged and substantially fool-proofconstruction.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of-construction,combination'of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will beexemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation showinga flexible conveyer member in sectionattached to a conveyer flight in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of the conveyer flight shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the parts indis-assembled relation;

Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively side and plan views, showing details of aremovable member cooperating with the construction shown in Figs. 1 and3;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; and.

Fig. 7 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of a modifiedform of device embodying the invention.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to Figs. 1 to 6, 10denotes a flexible conveyer member or cable which is made in sections ofappropriate length and secured at its ends in the conveyer flights, aflight being shown generally at 11. The conveyer flights may be of anysuitable variety, for example, flights arranged for conveying materialin bulk with a minimum of friction losses as set forth in my ReissuePatent No. 18,445 granted April 26, 1932, or as shown in my Patents Nos.1,904,167 and 1,910,056 granted April 18, 1933 and May 23, 1933,respectively; this application being a continuation in part of thelatter patent.

The flights here shown each comprise a central portion 12 in which theends of the sections of the flexible conveyer member 10 are secured. Apair of conveying arms 13 are provided and arranged to project laterallyfrom the central portion 12. The portions of the arms which areimmediately adjacent the central portions 12- are preferably enlarged asshown at 14:, these enlargements being adapted to serve as guide blocksor teeth with which the teeth of a sprocket for propelling or guidingthe conveyer may en- 7 gage. The enlarged portions 14 are reducedatproper distances from the central portion 12 and have extensions 15preferably terminated with upper surfaces obliquely disposed to thehorizontal adapted for doing the work of conveying. In the arrangementshown, the central portion 12, the enlargements 14 and the extension 15are preferably arranged to have a-continuous lower surface, so that theconveyer flight is adapted to lie evenly on the wall of a conveyerconduit in which the conveyer of the pres-. ent invention works (theillustration of the conduit being omitted in the interests of clearness)In the practice of the present invention, each end of a section 10 ofthe flexible member or cable is secured in a sheathing member of thecharacter shown at 16 in Fig. 3. This may be accomplished in anysuitable manner adapted to the nature of the material of the section orcable. Where the section is of wire or stranded metal, the end thereofmay be turned in and expanded in the' base of the sheathing member 16,and the wire or metal may be secured by soldering or welding the same inthe member 16.

In order that the central portion 12 may have the sheathing members 16of two adjacent ends of sections 10 secured therein, it is recessed toprovide one or more interior chambers adapted to receive and engage withthe members 16; access to the chamber or chambers, for the purpose ofinserting or removing a member 16, being afforded by the provision of aremovable member 17 that is preferably formed so as structurally tocomplete the central portion 12. As shown, the removable member 1'7 hasthe form of a base plate fitted up into the central portion 12 andadapted to be flush with bottom surfaces of portions 14 and 15 describedabove. This plate is secured in place in any convenient manner, for

example by counter-sunk screws, as shown at 18. Thechambered interior ofthe, central portion 12 is preferably divided by a medial partition 19than the bases of the cones, or the members 16 may be provided withshoulders on theirbases, as shown at 21, which will not pass through theperforations, or ,a combination of these features may be employed asshown.

The shoulder 21 imparts strength to the sheathing member 16 and it ispreferably supported in the chambered portion in a manner that avoidsconstructing stresses. To this end the chambers in the portion 12 areshown as lateral recesses sufliciently to aiford a flat surface behindthe taper of the openings at 20 on which the shoulders 21 of theopposing members 16 may bear. It is seen that when a removable member1'7 is taken out from the bottom, access to the recesses within thecentral portion 12 is readily had, so as to per- This .re-,

mit the desired recessing operations. movable member has a pair ofarcuate projecting portions 22 cooperating with the openings 20 in theend walls to complete the orifices into which the members 16 are fitted.These projecting portions thus serve to key the members 16 in place andprevent their accidental displacement.

In operation, it is seen that a conveyer may be built up of conveyerflights and sections of flexible conveyer cable to have any desiredform, for example an endless conveyer of suitable length working in aconveyer conduit and driven bysuitable sprockets. When the flights havetheir removable members 17 secured in place, it is seen that they lieflat against the wall of the conveyer conduit, and in consequence arenot likely to become loose or dislodged. In the event that a section ofthe flexible conveyer member becomes broken or' pulls out of a conveyerflight, the parts may be readily repaired or a new section substitutedby first removing the member 17, and replacing the same after desiredrepairs or replacements are accomplished.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Fig. '7, the ends of thesection of the flexible conveyer member 10are provided with sheathingmembers in the form of ferrules as shown at 25 and 26, swaged orotherwise secured on the ends of the section. These ferrules may haveany suitable shape and are arranged to engage with a conveyer flight,such as shown at 11, in positive manner without the aid of a'removablemember. To this end, they are shown as adapted for threaded engagementwith the central cylindrical portion 27 of the flight 11. From this itis seen that a non-slip engagement between the flight and its propellingflexible member is provided. 1

While the flights here shown and described are adapted for engagementwith the ends of cable sections, it will be understood that suchsections may have flights attached at intermediate points by othermeans, for example, as shown in Fig. 1 of my Patent No. 1,910,056referred to above.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction anddifferent embodiments of the invention could be made without departingfrom the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in theabove description or shown inthe accompanying drawing shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is:

1. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination with aconveyer flight, of a section-of a flexible conveyer member having anend provided with a securing member, said flight being provided with achambered portion formed with a pair of interior recesses having amedial partition and end walls, each provided with a perforation, saidsecuring means being formed with a conical outer surface and a shoulderon the base, said recesses being of suflicient depth to accommodate andsupport such shoulder, and

opening, said housing providing recesses therein within which theenlarged ends of adjacent ends of said sections of the conveyer memberare detachably received to detachably secure said sections to theflight, the interior of said hous-' ing being shaped to conform to theshape of the enlarged end portions of said .conveyer member.

3. In a conveyer of the character described, the combination with twosections of a flexible conveyer member having enlarged and conicallyshaped end portions, of'a conveyer flight '-having a unitary housingformed integrally therewith open at its bottom and having a bottom platenormally closing said opening, the interior of said housing being shapedto conform to the conical shape of said'enlarged end portions, said

